PURPLE! Home Game Edition 5

ISSUE NO. 5

home game edition east carolina

vs .

tulane

ArrRgh force ECU Air Force ROTC cadets pose for a photo with former U.S. Sen. Robert B. Morgan ’47 (top row, 4th from right) before marching in the annual Homecoming parade. photo by forrest croce

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game 5 - ECU vs. tulane - 2011

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Surf, Meet turf Defensive end Lee Peques takes down Tulane QB Ryan Griffin in the first quarter resulting in a 4-yard loss for the Green Wave. photo by jay clark

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game 5 - ECU vs. tulane - 2011

football

waves fall short on pirate shores

’Mack attack Outside receiver #82 Joe Womack turns on the jets to break away from Tulane defenders.

homecoming win puts ECU at 3-1 in C-USA standings

photo by jay clark

STORY BY STEPHEN M cNULTY

east carolina university

When it’s ECU’s homecoming and Halloween weekend, spirits are already high, but the Pirates gave their fans one more reason to celebrate on Saturday.

The Pirates fought through unusually chilly weather in their 34-13 win over Tulane that featured a dominant second half by ECU. The Pirates had been on the road for the last three weeks.

“It was good to get back home in Dowdy-Ficklen,” says head coach Ruffin McNeill. “It’s good to get back in Greenville and not have to worry about traveling.”

After setting the NCAA record last week for consecutive completions in a game, Dominique Davis finished 29 of 46 for 329 yards and a touchdown. Davis also ran for 56 yards and two touchdowns.

“I enjoyed it,” Davis said about his rare rushing burst. “It’s all thanks to [Jeff Connors] and just the toughness and weight lifting we do. It was just fun to run the ball out there.”

ECU started the game off by quickly moving into Tulane territory; however, a false start by the entire offensive line and a pair of incompletions halted the drive. Ben Ryan then made an unsuccessful punt off the side of his foot for just 24 yards. “[Penalties] just kill your momentum,” Torrance Hunt says, “but when we flow we can move it up and down the field anytime we want.”

Emanuel Davis broke up a pass on third down, but Tulane punter Jonathan Ginsburgh tucked the ball and faked the punt for a first down. Tulane managed to get down to the Pirates 31 yard line on the drive, but Cairo Santos sent his field goal attempt wide left.

Davis showed the first signs of his legs Saturday on a 3rd and 13 when he scrambled for 14 yards and the first down. He would go on to complete consecutive 16-yard passes to Lance Lewis and PURPLE! 7

ground-bound Outside linebacker #10 Marke Powell sacks Tulane QB Ryan Griffin in the third quarter.

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football LB #20 kyle tudor purple! DEfensive player of the game

photo by jay clark (2)

After battling an injury to start the season sophomore Kyle Tudor has stepped in and played a major role at the linebacker position. Tudor led all ECU tacklers with 11 total takedowns. Tudor was also credited with a forced fumble and a pass break up in the contest. Alongside standout freshman Jeremy Grove and junior Daniel Drake, Tudor adds to an already impressive Pirate linebacking corps.

Zico Pasut respectively to get the ball inside the Tulane red zone. Davis again resorted to his legs, scoring from five yards out.

Following the Pirate touchdown, Tulane failed to muster up any offense going three-and-out. On the Pirate’s first play of the drive, they got a little tricky, but Mike Price bobbled the exchange on the end around and immediately got crushed by Dominique Robertson before Trent Mackey scooped up the loose ball for Tulane.

Despite starting their drive on the ECU 5 yard line, Tulane was held to a field goal after Marke Powell deflected the third down pass out of the end zone. The first quarter would end 7-3.

Three straight incompletions and another missed field goal from Ryan gave Tulane the ball back in Pirate territory. Tulane needed just two plays to respond. A 40yard pass from Ryan Griffin and a 7-yard run by Orleans Darkwa put the Green Wave in front 10-7.

Davis’ career-long 29-yard scamper anchored the Pirates next drive that finished in the hands of Lance Lewis in the end zone. With the touchdown Lewis became ECU’s career leader in touchdown catches with 22. east carolina university

The game was beginning to look like it could turn into a high scoring affair after Tulane responded right back with a scoring drive of their own. Kyle Tudor and Leonard Paulk stalled Tulane’s drive inside the red zone, forcing the Green Wave to take the field goal.

The Pirates responded by putting together a 13-play drive that ended in a field goal of their own—ending the half at 17-13 ECU. The second half started with both teams trading punts before Damon Magazu grabbed his team leading third interception of the season.

“Bradley Jacobs had a good reroute on him and the second receiver was trying to run an in,” Magazu describes.

“I saw him fighting over top and I just broke on.”

The Pirate offense responded by marching right into Tulane territory before he stonewalled short of the goal line. A second Mike Barbour field goal put the Pirates up, 20-13.

The Pirate defense came up big again, forcing another Tulane punt after just three plays.

Determined to put some space between themselves and Tulane, the Pirates once again marched down the field. ECU PURPLE! 9

QB #4 dominique davis purple! OFfensive player of the game One week removed from his record-breaking performance against Navy, Dominique Davis once again led the Pirate offense. Not only did Davis have another proficient game through the air, but he used his legs to make plays as well. The senior captain finished with 329 yards passing on 29 of 46 with a touchdown through the air. On the ground he added a career-long 29yard run to go with his 56-total rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. It was the third time in his career that Davis rushed for multiple touchdowns.

handed the ball to Torrance Hunt three straight plays before Davis strolled in on a draw from six yards out.

Then, another Tulane possession followed by a punt.

The crowd at Dowdy-Ficklen shrank dramatically at halftime, and as both teams failed to muster up much offense in the fourth quarter, the number of fans in the stands dwindled even more.

Those who stuck around got to see Michael Dobson roll in from a yard out with just more than two minutes left in the game.

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all but official, the Pirate defense continued to shut down Tulane. The Green Wave was forced to punt with 1:35 left in the game and the Pirates would milk the rest of the clock.

Sophomore outside receiver Reese Wiggins led the team five catches for 75 yards. Andrew Bodenheimer and Danny Webster also had five catches apiece, while Lewis pulled in six. In all, 10 Pirates got their name in the box score for a reception.

The Pirates would not escape their biggest demons either. The Price fumble and another Davis interception game 5 - ECU vs. tulane - 2011

hunt-ing season Running back #34 Torrance Hunt rushed for 56 yards with 15 carries.

u p ne x t:

South e r n M iss

photo by jay clark (2)

novem b e r 5 , 2 011

put the Pirates at 25 giveaways this season.

Entering Saturday’s game the Pirates were the last team in the country in turnovers.

The Pirates also failed to shut down the Tulane rushing attack, which had 134 yards and a score. In the last 14 games ECU is allowing 230 yards and over three touchdowns rushing per game.

Pirate fans can only hope that the comfortable 34-13 victory is a preview of what’s to come next week. east carolina university

Despite already playing host to the likes of Virginia Tech and North Carolina and a trip to Houston in rearview mirror, the Pirates may be in for their most important game of the season this weekend.

The C-USA East leading Southern Miss Golden Eagles (7-1, 3-1 C-USA) travel to Greenville on Saturday for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff.

They are now ranked No. 25 in the BCS standings for the first time since 2004 and have gotten off to their best start since 1996.

Southern Miss’ only loss of the season came in week two at conference rival Marshall. The Golden Eagles were outscored 16-3 in the second half and fell short, 26-20. Since the loss, USM has rolled winning six straight. Those victories include a win at Virginia, a 28-point victory over Navy, and a 27-3 dismantling of Southern Methodist.

The Golden Eagles are a balanced team, passing for over 250 yards per game while averaging 215 yards per game on the ground. Southern Miss is also in the top 20 nationally in points against, giving up just 18.5 points per game in 2011.

Senior quarterback Austin Davis leads USM with 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Southern Miss also likes to use multiple running backs and feature the running ability of Davis. Seniors Ryan Balentine and Kelvin Bolden have over 30 receptions, 400 yards, and five touchdowns each.

If the Pirates hope to have any chance of getting back to the Conference USA Championship Game after missing it in 2010, they will first have to make it past the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

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fan-cam

Pirate fans were bundled up at the Homecoming game vs. Tulane. Winter-like temperatures moved in before the weekend putting a damper on Pirate Homecoming festivities, but ECU pulled out a victory over the Green Wave 34-13.

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game 2 - ECU vs. virginia tech - 2011